Where only a year ago stood a crumbling building on unkempt, dilapidated grounds, a much-needed, state-of-the-art Administrative Services Center now houses five of the department’s units.

“I am excited about this whole thing,” Lovett said. “... This is a wonderful, very much needed building. They have done a terrific job, and it’s impossible for me to really thank everyone who had something to do with this.”

The 23,000-square-foot facility sits on 9.2 acres of land donated to the department in 2001 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Edwin Avenue, just around the corner from A.E. Beach High School.

In recent weeks the police department’s budget office, administrative services division, quartermaster unit, gang unit, and the property and evidence room have moved into the new facility.

For those units, the new location serves as a substantial upgrade over their previous locations, primarily at the department’s aging downtown headquarters, Lovett said. In fact, the new 9,300-square-foot evidence room is nearly twice the size of the old room and includes many upgrades.

City officials, who noted the police department will open a new training center later this year on the same property, touted the $4.5 million, special purpose local option sales tax-funded facility as proof of their commitment to public safety.

“The mayor and aldermen have said that public safety is the first and foremost priority for this community,” said Savannah City Manger Stephanie Cutter. “Being able to have a facility such as this in the heart of this community does great things for the community.”

Alderman Van Johnson, who represents District 1 where the facility is located, said he was glad to see more of the police department spread throughout the city.

“We’re celebrating the opportunity to increase police and staff visibility throughout our various communities so our residents will get to see police and staff all over our community,” Johnson said. “And I think, most importantly, it’s the opportunity to revitalize buildings that have served one use but have fallen into blight. It’s a great opportunity for us now to revitalize those (buildings) in our communities.”